crusapr
07-24-2012, 11:13 PM
GREENVILLE, MS – It was a record breaking Saturday night at Greenville Speedway. The new record wasn’t set during the four-wide racing action on the ¼-mile black gumbo clay oval by the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series in the Delta Dirt Nationals 75, but rather by the fans who donated a over $15,000 to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society in the “Ride For Life.”
The Washington County American Cancer Society Co-Chairpersons, Jana Sides and Kathy Gower have counted the proceeds from six ride auctions, t-shirt sales, special donations and raffle ticket sales for a ride and three coolers. The final amount raised is $15,103.99, a new Ride For Life record for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series program.
“We do a lot of fund-raising events here in Greenville, but the Ride For Life Program at Greenville Speedway is the most successful thing we do that raises more money in one night that any other program,” Washington County American Cancer Society Co-Chairperson Jana Sides said. “We can’t thank the promoters, the fans, the racers and the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series enough for what they all have done for us in setting a new proceeds record.”
The benefit was around the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Delta Dirt Nationals at Greenville Speedway, and the series brought their two-seat Ride For Life dirt late model race car. Race fans were able to bid for six lap rides at race speed with one of six drivers, plus they could purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a ride through a drawing.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series regular Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS, along with Greenville Speedway NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series drivers Duke Palasini of Leland, MS, Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS, Greg Fore of Greenville, MS, Bubba Harrison of Cleveland, MS, and Mark Tice of Avon, MS donated their time and talent to give the rides to race fans.
The highest bidders won the six-lap rides at race speed sitting next to their respective drivers. Fans also purchased raffle tickets to win a ride, or one of three coolers full of $1,000 worth of merchandise donated by local businesses. Race fans could also purchase Ride For Life t-shirts. All of the proceeds went to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
“It’s wonderful that Washington County and the community of Greenville, MS have a race track like Greenville Speedway, track promoters like Wesley Washington and James Clolinger, an enthusiastic group of fans and drivers, and especially American Cancer Society Co-Chairs Jana Sides and Kathy Gower that have all worked hard to give back to the community in such a big way,” NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series President of Operations and Communications Roby Helm said. “Greenville, MS can be proud that they have a race track like Greenville Speedway that each year gives back so generously to the community.”
Helm said Greenville Speedway and the local chapter of the American Cancer Society have set records with proceeds each year with the Ride For Life program. Two years ago, they set a record of over $5,000 raised, and last year the total raised for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society was $7,500.
“The goal this year was to earn $10,000 with the Ride For Life program at Greenville Speedway,” Helm said. “When we arrived at the track on Friday, Jana Sides and Kathy Gower had already been busy for a couple of weeks, and had already raised $5,000. When we started the auction on Saturday night, they had collected $7,000. The auction blew the total way beyond the goal!”
Race tracks across the country are looking for ways to be a part of their communities, and the Ride For Life program is one way they can be an asset to the citizens of their hometowns. Helm said the series has done the Ride For Life Program at other tracks in other communities, but none are as successful as the Greenville Speedway Ride For Life.
“Race tracks in other communities can use Greenville Speedway as a prime example of how they can give back to their communities,” Helm said. “The local American Cancer Society Chapters need people like Jana Sides and Kathy Gower to get out there and help make these programs successful. The doctors and scientists are the ones trying to find a cure for cancer, but the Ride For Life Program is a way people in racing can help them with the funding to do their work.”
David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN and Greg Fore of Greenville, MS may have won the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series races at Greenville Speedway on the race track Friday night and Saturday night, but the real winners are the people that opened their wallets and set a new track record by dishing out $15,103.99 to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing. Becoming a fan of the NeSmith Racing Facebook page will make you eligible for special prizes that will be given away each month. You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.
NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain Dealer four years running, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. VP Racing Fuel is the Official Racing Fuel of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hedman Hedders is the Official Hedder of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and the Hedman Husler Award sponsor. Bilstein Shocks is the Official Spec Shock of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2012 are Dominator Race Products, Race Car Engineering, KRC, QA 1 Precision Products, Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Schoenfeld Headers, Integra Racing Shocks, J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment, Kinser Air Filters, Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, TNT Race Cars, and Stinger Race Cars.
The Washington County American Cancer Society Co-Chairpersons, Jana Sides and Kathy Gower have counted the proceeds from six ride auctions, t-shirt sales, special donations and raffle ticket sales for a ride and three coolers. The final amount raised is $15,103.99, a new Ride For Life record for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series program.
“We do a lot of fund-raising events here in Greenville, but the Ride For Life Program at Greenville Speedway is the most successful thing we do that raises more money in one night that any other program,” Washington County American Cancer Society Co-Chairperson Jana Sides said. “We can’t thank the promoters, the fans, the racers and the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series enough for what they all have done for us in setting a new proceeds record.”
The benefit was around the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Delta Dirt Nationals at Greenville Speedway, and the series brought their two-seat Ride For Life dirt late model race car. Race fans were able to bid for six lap rides at race speed with one of six drivers, plus they could purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a ride through a drawing.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series regular Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS, along with Greenville Speedway NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series drivers Duke Palasini of Leland, MS, Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS, Greg Fore of Greenville, MS, Bubba Harrison of Cleveland, MS, and Mark Tice of Avon, MS donated their time and talent to give the rides to race fans.
The highest bidders won the six-lap rides at race speed sitting next to their respective drivers. Fans also purchased raffle tickets to win a ride, or one of three coolers full of $1,000 worth of merchandise donated by local businesses. Race fans could also purchase Ride For Life t-shirts. All of the proceeds went to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
“It’s wonderful that Washington County and the community of Greenville, MS have a race track like Greenville Speedway, track promoters like Wesley Washington and James Clolinger, an enthusiastic group of fans and drivers, and especially American Cancer Society Co-Chairs Jana Sides and Kathy Gower that have all worked hard to give back to the community in such a big way,” NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series President of Operations and Communications Roby Helm said. “Greenville, MS can be proud that they have a race track like Greenville Speedway that each year gives back so generously to the community.”
Helm said Greenville Speedway and the local chapter of the American Cancer Society have set records with proceeds each year with the Ride For Life program. Two years ago, they set a record of over $5,000 raised, and last year the total raised for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society was $7,500.
“The goal this year was to earn $10,000 with the Ride For Life program at Greenville Speedway,” Helm said. “When we arrived at the track on Friday, Jana Sides and Kathy Gower had already been busy for a couple of weeks, and had already raised $5,000. When we started the auction on Saturday night, they had collected $7,000. The auction blew the total way beyond the goal!”
Race tracks across the country are looking for ways to be a part of their communities, and the Ride For Life program is one way they can be an asset to the citizens of their hometowns. Helm said the series has done the Ride For Life Program at other tracks in other communities, but none are as successful as the Greenville Speedway Ride For Life.
“Race tracks in other communities can use Greenville Speedway as a prime example of how they can give back to their communities,” Helm said. “The local American Cancer Society Chapters need people like Jana Sides and Kathy Gower to get out there and help make these programs successful. The doctors and scientists are the ones trying to find a cure for cancer, but the Ride For Life Program is a way people in racing can help them with the funding to do their work.”
David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN and Greg Fore of Greenville, MS may have won the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series races at Greenville Speedway on the race track Friday night and Saturday night, but the real winners are the people that opened their wallets and set a new track record by dishing out $15,103.99 to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing. Becoming a fan of the NeSmith Racing Facebook page will make you eligible for special prizes that will be given away each month. You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.
NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain Dealer four years running, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. VP Racing Fuel is the Official Racing Fuel of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hedman Hedders is the Official Hedder of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and the Hedman Husler Award sponsor. Bilstein Shocks is the Official Spec Shock of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2012 are Dominator Race Products, Race Car Engineering, KRC, QA 1 Precision Products, Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Schoenfeld Headers, Integra Racing Shocks, J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment, Kinser Air Filters, Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, TNT Race Cars, and Stinger Race Cars.